Emma’s Oxford trip ends in privacy row
Just three weeks ago, Alan Rusbridger, Guardian editorturned-principal of Oxford college Lady Margaret Hall, awarded prestigious Visiting Fellowships to 11 celebrities.
they included Harry Potter star Emma Watson, sherlock actor Benedict Cumberbatch and Pet shop Boys singer Neil tennant. ‘We want them to form a bridge between our academic community and the worlds they inhabit and represent,’ Rusbridger grandly announced.
But the bridge-building initiative, which earned the college the new sobriquet Luvvie Margaret Hell, has spectacularly backfired, embroiling students in a huge privacy row.
Last Friday, Watson visited the college on a recce and was spotted by a student who took a picture of her in the library and uploaded it to social media. Harry Potter lookalike Rusbridger, 62, sent an indignant letter to the students, via Junior Common Room president Emma Andrews, remonstrating with them over their behaviour.
He confirmed in his missive that the Hollywood actress had visited the college for ‘a preliminary discussion’ and added: ‘I showed her the library. A student evidently took a sneak picture of her, which is now on twitter.
‘I can’t think of anything more guaranteed to undermine the programme of visiting fellows than our students refusing to respect the privacy of our guests.
‘Emma is keen to have contact with students and has imaginative plans for engaging with LMH. But it simply won’t work if our students behave in this way.’
the message went on to ask pupils to remove the photo of Watson from twitter, and reminded students of ‘the basic courtesy we owe to our visiting fellows’.
During his stewardship of the Guardian, Rusbridger controversially printed leaked information about British spies provided by National security Agency whistleblower Edward snowden. some may think it a pity he didn’t extend the same basic courtesy to the intelligence services.